Exam II- LIST QUESTIONS

Question 1

Characteristics of a good funeral director

Answer 1

• good PHYSICAL HEALTH to endure LONG working hours
• good MORAL FIBER supporting a solid REPUTATION in the community that the funeral director wishes to serve
• must have an OBJECTIVE ATTITUDE toward death even though death is a subjective experience for most human beings….DEFENSE MECHANISM
• must be INTROSPECTIVE; that is to have a complete knowledge of one’s own self. this is a prerequisite to helping others
• must NOT reflect the STEREOTYPICAL undertaker- must have a sense of humor a well developed personality
• must have a sincere DESIRE to SERVE the PUBLIC and a sense of PRIDE and PERSONAL satisfaction for this vocation…NEVER be ASHAMED of being a funeral director. Be PASSIONATE and PROUD in funeral service
• must live a NORMAL SOCIAL LIFE- must get away from funeral service occasionally.

Question 2

The traditional purpose of religion in funeral service

Answer 2

• affirms that death is NOT the ultimate end of an individual- that there si some kind of immortality for the soul or personality
• affirms the SUPREME BEING is INFINITE and it is the will of the SUPREME BEING that the human being be FINITE
• affirms that the human person is the HIGHEST EXPRESSION of creation and therefore should be treated with RESPECT and DIGNITY in DISPOSITION. “TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT”
• RITUALIZED funeral service provides an opportunity for the bereaved to share the support of society. This emotional support is necessary since we are SOCIAL ANIMALS and we need this in resolving grief. Peer group support is HEALTHY.

Question 3

Basic similarities of funeral customs

Answer 3

• ANNOUNCEMENT OF DEATH- every society has some kind of announcement of death from drums in the jungle to a classified death notice or obit.
• provision is always made for some KIND OF CARE PRIOR TO THE DISPO OF THE REMAINS; embalming, washing, anointing, wrapping, shrouding etc
• CEREMONY- varies from traditional culture running the spectrum from traditional religion; Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian to modern humanism devoid of any religious context
• DISPOSITION- interment, entombment, inurnment. NOTE: cremation will vary from 8% or more depending on the region
• MEMORIALIZATION; act of preserving the memory of the dead formally. Examples: All Souls Day, Memorial Day, cemetery

Question 4

Basic Differences in Funeral Customs

Answer 4

-RELIGION- every organized religion has some kind of liturgy attached to funeral service. This will vary from strict Orthodox dogma to the flexibility of the humanistic service
It is imperative we develop ways to meet the needs of the “non religious” members of the community
-CLIMATE-varies from cremation in Alaska bc of the frozen tundra to rapid interment in southern Hemisphere or delayed burial in cold climates like New England or North Central States
-ECONOMICS- in the United states for the most part, the highest standard of funeral service has been demanded. In the third world economy, direct dispo or cremation with involved religious service is usually the standard
-ETHNIC BACKGROUND- in the United States every nationality is represented with its own distinguishing customs. This can be seen among Polish, Italian, Irish, African Americans, Hispanic, Gypsy
-FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS-each with their own unique ceremonies- Knights of Columbus, Masons, American Legion, etc

Question 5

Sentiment- how an individual resolves grief varies according to their background

Answer 5

a) age
b) educational level
c) mental stability
d) gender
e) local custom
f) ethnic background
g) social status

Question 6

List and Define the physical manifestations of grief

Answer 6

1- CRYING- open expression of grief, the actual manifestation of grief
2-NERVOUS- constant rapid movement, often no motor control
3-RESTLESSNESS- headaches, acid indigestion
4-LOSS OF APPETITE
5-OVEREATING

Question 7

List the authorized persons allowed in the prep room

Answer 7

1-Member of the family holding PRD
2-Licensed funeral director and embalmer
3-Registered apprentice
3-Trained Assistant
4-Hair dresser, attendant
5-Medical examiner, eye, tissue bank, or those in police power

Question 8

List UNATHORIZED persons who should NOT be allowed in the prep room

Answer 8

1-Maintenance workers, groundskeepers
2-Drivers of casket delivery trucks
3-Funeral Service suppliers
4-Non oriented non-apprentice drivers of funeral equip.
5-Florists and those that deliver flowers
6-Curiosity seekers
7-Other passers by

Question 9

List the confidences to be guarded

Answer 9

1-Domestic situation or problem
2-cause of death or other physical conditions
3-Physical defects of other idiosyncrasies pertaining to the deceased
4-Financial transactions including the financial situation of the family
5-Family and funeral home records
6-Other information considered confidential, regardless of the source

Question 10

The medical examiner must be contacted when death results from certain situations.

Answer 10

1- An alleged accident of any nature
2-Bodily burns
3-Fractures of any kind
4-Undetermined cause
5-Deceased was DOA at hospital
*exception-physician who pronounced death was in regular attendance to the deceased prior to death
6-No physician was in regular attendance to the deceased prior to death
7-Physician refuses to sign death certificate

Question 11

First call sheet should contain: All info should be PRINTED

Answer 11

1-Date of call
2-Time of call
3-Name of person calling- correctly spelled and relation to deceased
4-Where they are calling from
5-Phone number of where they are calling from
6-Name of deceased
7-Location of deceased
8-Next of kin
9-Phone number of next of kin
10-Is the family waiting for us?
11-Has Dr. been there to pronounce death
*Hospice can pronounce
12-Is the body released? ready to be picked up?
13-Name of Dr., Phone number, date, and time of death
14-Name of person who took the call